Anisotropic photonic lattices and discrete solitons in photorefractive media

Table grapes were irradiated with UV nanosecond laser pulses in searching for resonant photo-elicitation of trans-resveratrol, a known antioxidant compound naturally produced by grapevines and other plants. To this end, the irradiation time as well as the wavelength dependence of the induced trans-resveratrol content was investigated by comparing the elicitation level of this compound at two laser wavelengths. One wavelength was selected right at the maximum of the absorption band (302.1 nm, the resonant wavelength for this compound) while the second was selected (300 nm, a non-resonant wavelength) such that trans-resveratrol absorption is negligible. It was found that the resonant irradiation enhances the resveratrol content in grapes by up to six times more than that of non-resonant irradiation, the rest of the conditions being the same. This work demonstrates how selective laser excitation of fruits can open new possibilities for the development of functional foods with enhanced nutritional and beneficial properties. PACS 42.62.-b; 82.50.Hp     

光诱导光子晶格结构中新型的离散空间光孤子

离散孤子标志着从线性到非线性，从连续到非连续，从相干到非相干，人们对孤子认识的一个飞越．文章简要回顾了近期在二维光致光子晶格结构中有关空间离散光孤子的研究，包括基模离散孤子、类矢量离散孤子、离散偶极孤子、离散涡旋孤子和离散孤子串等．在非线性光折变晶体里用部分相干光诱导的波导阵列中，对每一种离散孤子，都清楚地观测到光从二维的离散衍射状态到自囚禁形成离散孤子的转变过程，获得的结果将对其他离散非线性系统中类似现象的研究有所启发．     

Spatiotemporal discrete Ginzburg-Landau solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices

In the framework of the continuous-discrete cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau model, spatiotemporal dissipative solitons which are highly confined inside two-dimensional photonic lattices are found numerically. The domains of existence in the relevant parameter space, of in-phase (unstaggered) on-site (single-peaked), inter-site (double-peaked), and flat-top-like (four-peaked) spatiotemporal dissipative solitons are determined. We show that the on-site solitons are stable in the whole domain of their existence and we find the stability domains of both inter-site and flat-top-like solitons. We describe the complex instability-induced scenarios of the dynamics of spatiotemporal discrete Ginzburg-Landau solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices.     

Observation of discrete vortex solitons in optically induced photonic lattices

We report on the first experimental observation of discrete vortex solitons in two-dimensional optically induced photonic lattices. We demonstrate strong stabilization of an optical vortex by the lattice in a self-focusing nonlinear medium and study the generation of the discrete vortices from a broad class of singular beams.     

Dynamics of bright discrete staggered solitons in photovoltaic photorefractive media

Theoretical results on spatial optical bright solitons excited in arrays of nonlinear defocusing waveguides, that result from the photovoltaic effect in a photorefractive material, are presented. The existence of four types of stationary discrete bright staggered solitons, on-site, inter-site, twisted inter-site, and twisted on-site solitons, is shown both analytically and numerically, and their stability properties are investigated. The maximum Hamiltonian of staggered solitons with the same total power corresponds to stable modes. It is shown that for low total power the on-site mode is stable while in the high power regime the inter-site mode is stable. These results are confirmed numerically. In addition, steering properties of localized modes are investigated by introducing a transversal translational shift. Because of the translational symmetry between on-site and inter-site localized modes they are considered as two dynamical realizations of the same moving mode, and the formalism of the Peierls-Nabarro effective potential is applied to interpret the exchange between trapping and steering of these modes. This critically depends on the mode’s total power and the introduced phase difference. On the other hand, steering of twisted inter-site and on-site localized modes is not numerically observed. Instead, transversal perturbation leads to a transformation of twisted modes either into a trapped on-site mode of smaller power and radiation, or into two trapped on-site modes.     

Collisions between discrete spatiotemporal dissipative Ginzburg-Landau solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices

Systematic results of collisions between discrete spatiotemporal dissipative Ginzburg-Landau solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices are reported. The generic outcomes are identified for (i) the collision of two identical solitons located in the corner, at the edge, and in the center of the photonic lattice, and for (ii) the collision of two non-identical corner and edge solitons located at different distances from the boundaries of the photonic lattice. Depending on the values of the kick (collision momentum) and of the nonlinear (cubic) gain, the collision scenarios include soliton merging, creation of an extra soliton, soliton bouncing, soliton spreading, and quasi-elastic (symmetric) interactions.     

Observation of vortex-ring "discrete" solitons in 2D photonic lattices

We present the experimental observation of both on-site and off-site vortex-ring solitons of unity topological charge in a nonlinear photonic lattice, along with a theoretical study of their propagation dynamics and stability.     

Surface solitons in chirped photonic lattices

We study surface modes at the edge of a semi-infinite chirped photonic lattice in the framework of an effective discrete nonlinear model. We demonstrate that the lattice chirp can change dramatically the conditions for the mode localization near the surface, and we find numerically the families of discrete surface solitons in this case. Such solitons do not require any minimum power to exist provided the chirp parameter exceeds some critical value. We also analyze how the chirp modifies the interaction of a soliton with the lattice edge.     

Multivortex solitons in triangular photonic lattices

We introduce a novel class of stable lattice solitons with a complex phase structure composed of many single-charge discrete vortices in a triangular photonic lattice. We demonstrate that such nonlinear self-trapped states are linked to the resonant Bloch modes, which bear a honeycomb pattern of phase dislocations.     

Reduced-symmetry two-dimensional solitons in photonic lattices

We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally a novel type of localized beam supported by the combined effects of total internal and Bragg reflection in nonlinear two-dimensional square periodic structures. Such localized states exhibit strong anisotropy in their mobility properties, being highly mobile in one direction and trapped in the other, making them promising candidates for optical routing in nonlinear lattices.     

Polychromatic interface solitons in nonlinear photonic lattices

We demonstrate that interfaces between two nonlinear periodic photonic lattices offer unique possibilities for controlling the nonlinear interaction between different spectral components of polychromatic light, and a change in the light spectrum can have a dramatic effect on the propagation along the interface. We predict the existence of polychromatic surface solitons that differ fundamentally from their counterparts in infinite lattices.     

Spatiotemporal surface solitons in two-dimensional photonic lattices

We analyze spatiotemporal light localization in truncated two-dimensional photonic lattices and demonstrate the existence of two-dimensional surface light bullets localized in the lattice corners or the edges. We study the families of the spatiotemporal surface solitons and their properties such as bistability and compare them with the modes located deep inside the photonic lattice.     

Defect vector gap solitons in photonic lattices

The existence and general properties of different kinds of defect vector gap solitons in one dimensional optically induced photonic defect lattice with focusing saturable nonlinearity in photorefractive crystal are analyzed. The defect is well localized in a single site with two existence forms, namely repulsive and attractive defect. Propagation constants of two beams that compose defect vector gap solitons could be from same gap or from different gaps. We show that some kinds of unstable scalar defect gap solitons could be stabilized by their corresponding vector cases.     

光子晶格中新颖的空间带隙孤子——饶毓泰基础光学二等奖介绍

光子晶格作为一种光学周期性离散体系,具有通常均匀介质所无法比拟的独特性质,它为空间离散孤子、表面波以及衍射操控等一系列线性和非线性离散动力学行为的实验观测提供了便利条件,同时在全光路由、全光开关和光子计算机等方面具有重要的应用前景.文章简要回顾了南开大学的研究小组近期在二维光子晶格中有关空间带隙孤子的一系列研究工作,包括二维基本带隙孤子、类偶极带隙孤子、带隙孤子串以及涡旋带隙孤子等.在有的实验过程中,文章作者清晰地观测到探测光束的频谱整形,波常数从具有反常衍射的导带底部演化到光子禁带中,并且通过干涉图反映的相位关系验证了带隙孤子形成.实验的结果可以为其他离散系统中带隙孤子态的观测提供有益参考和启示.     

Observation of multivortex solitons in photonic lattices

We report on the first observation of topologically stable spatially localized multivortex solitons generated in optically induced hexagonal photonic lattices. We demonstrate that topological stabilization of such nonlinear localized states can be achieved through self-trapping of truncated two-dimensional Bloch waves and confirm our experimental results by numerical simulations of the beam propagation in weakly deformed lattice potentials in anisotropic photorefractive media.     

Necklacelike solitons in optically induced photonic lattices

We report the first observation of stationary necklacelike solitons. Such necklace structures were realized when a high-order vortex beam was launched appropriately into a two-dimensional optically induced photonic lattice. Our theoretical results obtained with continuous and discrete models show that the necklace solitons resulting from a charge-4 vortex have a pi phase difference between adjacent "pearls" and are formed in an octagon shape. Their stability region is identified.     

光子晶格中新颖的空间带隙孤子——饶毓泰基础光学二等奖介绍

光子晶格作为一种光学周期性离散体系,具有通常均匀介质所无法比拟的独特性质,它为空间离散孤子、表面波以及衍射操控等一系列线性和非线性离散动力学行为的实验观测提供了便利条件,同时在全光路由、全光开关和光子计算机等方面具有重要的应用前景.文章简要回顾了南开大学的研究小组近期在二维光子晶格中有关空间带隙孤子的一系列研究工作,包括二维基本带隙孤子、类偶极带隙孤子、带隙孤子串以及涡旋带隙孤子等.在有的实验过程中,文章作者清晰地观测到探测光束的频谱整形,波常数从具有反常衍射的导带底部演化到光子禁带中,并且通过干涉图反映     

Spatial solitons in centrosymmetric photorefractive media

We predict spatial solitons in photorefractive centrosymmetric media driven by the dc Kerr effect.     

“Incoherent” generation of spatial gap solitons within one-dimensional photorefractive photonic lattices in lithium niobate

The effect of the formation of spatial gap solitons within one-dimensional optically induced photo-refractive photonic lattices in iron-doped lithium niobate is experimentally investigated. Mutually incoherent Bragg-matched beams with optical powers in the microwatt range from two different He-Ne lasers are used to generate immobile spatial gap solitons within the lattice with a spatial period of 15 μm.